Accounting Manager

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Position Title:
Accounting Manager

Job Category:
Academic Staff

Employment Type:
Regular

Job Profile:
Financial Manager

Job Duties:

The Accounting Manager works in Business Services under the general supervision of the Controller and is responsible for managing staff who utilize the university's financial systems to process accounting transactions. This position oversees grant accounting, 501(c)(3) accounting, capital equipment inventory, banking, account reconciliations, and financial reporting for the university.

The Accounting Manager's responsibilities include reviewing journal entries, reconciling accounts, maintaining ledgers, developing procedures, preparing reports, and updating records in the university's financial systems. The Manager is also involved with establishing internal controls and serves as a campus liaison for issues related to financial systems and transactions.

Candidates are expected to have a strong understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and to acquire knowledge of University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL), Universities of Wisconsin (UW) Administration, and State of Wisconsin financial policies and procedures.

The Division of Administration and Finance is committed to providing quality campus services to faculty, staff, students and external constituencies in support of the university's mission of teaching, research, and public service. The division includes Business Services, Budget Office, Facilities Planning & Management, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, and University Police & Parking Services.

The review of applications starts on January 27, 2026 . Applications received on or before January 27th are prioritized and review will continue until the position(s) is/are filled. Initial interviews will be conducted virtually, with shortlisted candidates invited to campus.


UW-La Crosse does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If you have questions regarding this, please contact Human Resources at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Key Job Responsibilities:

Assist the Controller

• Assist with special reports, surveys, and audits requested by the Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) and Department of Administration (DOA).
• Assist with various projects related to internal control assessments and make recommendations for processing methods to ensure the integrity and security of financial assets.
• Develop training programs for faculty and staff related to financial processes and systems.
• Review and recommend updates to the Business Services web pages.
• Conduct campus training related to financial transactions, including the use of Workday financial system, providing ongoing support for issues and questions.
• Communicate changes or updates to processes related to accounting functions to the campus community, including maintaining and updating web pages and publications.
• Identify opportunities for process automation to provide efficient, accurate, and cost-effective accounting operations for the university.
• Other duties as assigned by the Controller.

Accounting Staff Supervision

• Manage staff workloads to ensure the quality and timely completion of responsibilities.
• Establish performance standards. Monitor employee progress and regularly provide mentoring, training, and performance feedback.
• Address and resolve staff conflicts while maintaining a professional environment.
• Administer counseling sessions and corrective discipline where applicable to ensure work rules are being met.
• Ensure staff are provided with professional development opportunities, adequate training, and other resources to perform their job responsibilities.
• Establish work schedules and review leave requests.
• Hold regular staff meetings to keep staff up to date on relevant information.

Financial Reporting

• Monitor the processing of daily financial reports; resolve processing problems with campus and Information Technology Services (ITS) staff.
• Assist the Controller with coordinating the preparation of campus GAAP reports as directed by UW Administration annually for inclusion in the University of Wisconsin Annual Financial Report.
• Develop, create, and analyze financial management reports; work with campus management to resolve discrepancies in the reports.
• Develop reports for management, campus personnel, UWSA, and others, as requested.
• Oversee the capital equipment inventory and asset management system for GAAP reporting, annual equipment inventory, and various reports requiring capital equipment tracking.

Accounting Management

• Oversee journal entry processing in accounting systems.
• Ensure that adequate internal controls are established, operate as designed, and effectively protect the integrity of transactions, while maintaining proper audit trails.
• Conduct integrity checks of general ledger transactions to ensure the accuracy of transactions and to identify and resolve problems as quickly as possible.
• Facilitate campus training on fund accounting, the Workday financial system, and related processes that affect the general ledger. Provide ongoing support for issues and questions related to these items.
• Implement new initiatives related to the general ledger, such as financial system upgrades, policy changes, and system-to-system interfaces.
• Coordinate the month-end and fiscal year-end closing procedures, including developing schedules, communicating with UW Administration and UWL stakeholders, and working with staff to meet deadlines.
• Perform necessary year-end closing entries and prepare financial statements.
• Establish, implement, and maintain written policies and procedures for departmental functions relating to financial transactions and systems. Ensure procedures maintain institutional compliance with UW Administration, State of Wisconsin, and U.S. Federal reporting requirements.
• Communicate process changes and updates related to financial transactions and system functions to the campus stakeholders, including the maintenance of web pages, guides, etc.
• Oversee preparation and accuracy of various reconciliations (bank, student loan, scholarship, etc.), ensuring variances are explainable for Controller review.
• Assist with developing the institutional internal control plan and provide support for internal and external audits, including implementing recommendations related to financial transactions and systems.
• Review new account requests for reasonableness and assign account numbers based on the university's financial structure.
• Develop, establish, and maintain reporting processes for financial information.
• Collaborate with campus departments to manage the account tables and trees in the Workday Financial System; perform ongoing maintenance and date changes for reporting purposes.

Department:

Business Services

Compensation:

$80,000 - $90,000 / year

to comensurate with experience

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a business-related field from an accredited institution.
• Minimum five years of professional financial experience with demonstrated increasing responsibility.
• Knowledge of GAAP.
• Strong aptitude for understanding and analyzing accounting systems.
• Strong ability to review, analyze, and interpret financial data, policies, procedures, and regulations to create reports, complete reconciliations, prepare projections, and provide advisement.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency in the use of Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to interact respectfully with people with diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Ability to conduct oneself with personal integrity and to perform work with high ethical standards.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in accounting or business administration from an accredited institution.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure.
• Supervisory experience.
• Experience in higher education.
• Knowledge of governmental or fund accounting.
• Proficient in the development of computer queries to extract accurate data and reports.

How to Apply:

Required application documents:

Cover letter (that addresses the required and preferred qualifications)


CV / Resume

Contact Information:

Mark Haakenson View email address on click.appcast.io

Special Notes:

Application deadlines
TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION: Priority consideration is given to those candidates who apply by the listed 'First Review Date'. Applications received after that date may be considered at the discretion of the search committee. Application materials will be evaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. Incomplete and/or late application materials may not receive consideration. If you have questions regarding this recruitment, or if you are not able to complete the application online due to a disability or system problem, please contact the Office of Human Resources.


Confidentiality of Applicant Materials
UWL is a state agency and subject to Wisconsin's Open Records Law. UWL will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin's Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of "final candidates" and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.


CBC & Reference Check Policy
All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a criminal background check, work authorization, and verification of education. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.


Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)
For the UWL Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see or contact the University Police Department at View phone number on click.appcast.io.


INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS
Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.
Highlights include:

• Paid vacation for 12-month positions.

• Excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and good coverage.

• Paid holidays and paid sick days.
• After 5 years of employment, you become vested in our retirement system which ensures income post-career.

• Benefits at UWL are highly competitive with local industry and some of the strongest in state and nation.

Benefit eligibility is determined at the point of hire. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefits are also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.